Puzzle



I. STEINH'ARDT PUZZLE Oct. 31. 193's),

Filed larch 2,1959 3 Shoots-Shut 1 ."JEI.

Patented Oct. 31, 1939 a 2,178,190

UNITED STATES PATENT- OFFICE.

PUZZLE Irving Steinhardt, New York, N. Y.

Application March 2, 1939, Serial No. 259,455

3 Claims. (01. 273-160) The puzzle consists of a plurality of pieces each form illustrated in Fig. 13 in whichit may be specially formed so that they interlock and may seen that the assembly begins to take the form of be assembled and disassembled in a special order. a sphere. The piece illustrated in Figs. 10, 11 and The form of each piece may seem arbitrary and 12 may be indicated generally by D. The piece the pieces when assembled may have a unitary, illustrated in Figs. l4, l5 and 16 may be indi- 5 distinctive outer appearance. The outer appearcated generally by E and the piece illustrated in ance may be varied without altering the inner Figs. 20 and 21 may be indicated generally by F. interlocking construction of the pieces. The puz- The piece A consists of end members 50 and 5t zle consists of six pieces each definitely formed and a central bar 52. In the central bar 52 are and arranged to be assembled and interlocked in provided two sockets 53 and 54 the socket 54 being 10 a special order, the final piece when inserted acthalf as wide as the socket 53. Forming the socking as a lock to hold all the pieces in place. ets and between them is a projecting member 55. Figures 1, 2 and 3 are elevations in different The second piece B has end members 56 and 51 directions of one piece of the puzzle. Figs. 4, 5 Joined by a central bar 58 provided with a socket l5 and 6 are elevations in different directions of a 59. The piece C has end members 60 and 6| consecond piece or the puzzle. Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are nected by a central bar 62 which is provided with elevations in different directions of a third piece a large socket 63. The shape, sizeand appearof the puzzle. Figs. 10, 11 and 12 are elevations in once of the end. members of the various pieces diiferent directions of a fourth piece of the puzzle. is not essential to the present invention. They Fig. 13 isan elevation of the assembly formed by may be varied considerably from the specific 20 joining the piece illustrated in Figs. 1 to 9. Figs. forms illustrated in the drawings- I F SS- 1 0 14, 15 and 16 are elevations in difi'erent directions 22 the end members are so formed that they of a iifth' piece of the puzzle. Fig. 17 is an 'elevat rl ck and t rm a sphe wh n t e appa atu tion of the assembly formed by adding to the is entirely assembled as indicated in Fig. 22, there assembly of Fig. 13 the piece illustrated in Figs. eing one portion projecting outwardly from the :5

10, 11 and 12. Fig. 18 is an elevation of the asface of the Sphere. sembly formed by adding to the assembly in Fig. The member A may be associated with the 17 the pieces illustrated in Figs. 14, 15 and 16. member B so thatas illustrated the socket SI of Fig. 19 is an elevation of the assembly of Fig. 18 the member A will interlock with the projection at the other side. Figs. 20 and 21 are end and 65 onthe member- B. In this position as indl- 30 side elevations respectively of the sixth piece of cated in dotted lines in Fig. 2 the central bars 52 the puzzle. Fig. 22 is a side elevation of the asand 58 will crosseach other a portion of the bar sembly formed by uniting all of the six pieces. 58 registering with the projection 55 of A and Figs. 23 to 39 are elevations in different direce locking therewith. The central bar 82 of C 5 tions of six pieces corresponding to those already y the e ed in t et 0! A bring- 85 illustrated but having difierent external forms. ing the end members it and ii of G into register Figs. 23, 24 and 25 correspond to Figs. 1, 2 and with the end members of A and B so as to form 3; Figs. 26, 27, and 28 correspond to Figs. 4, 5 and therewith parts or a sphere to be completed. The 6; Figs. 29, 30 and 31 correspond to Figs. 7, 8 edge 85 of the socket 63 will engage the central and 9; Figs. 32, 33 and 34 correspond to Figs. 10, bar 58 MB while the edge 66 of the end member 40 11 and 12; Figs. 35, 36 and 3'! correspond to Figs. ,60 of C will enga the Side 1 0f the end em- 14, 15 and 16; Figs. 38 and 39 correspond to Figs. ber 50 of A thus fastening a d 110161118 t her 20 and 21; Figs. 40 and 41 are side elevations in the three piece assembly. The fourth piece D ildifferent directions of the assembly, formed by lustrated in Figs. l0, l1 and 12 has end pieces 68 45 adding together the pieces illustrated in Figs. 23 and 69 which are connected by an external mem- 45 to 39. her Ill. The piece D also has a central bar II In the accompanying drawings are shown a between which and the end members is formed a plurality of pieces which may be generally letsocket or hole 12. The hole I2 may be placed tered in the order in which they may be asover the end member 66 of B to form an assembly sembled. Thus the piece illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 illustrated in Fig.1? and in such a way that the 50 and 3 may be indicated by A generally. The socket 13 of the bar II o! D registers with the piece illustrated in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 may be indisocket 53 or A to form a square aperture. The cated generally by B. This piece illustrated in fifth piece E illustrated in Figs. l4, l5 and 16 has Figs. 7,8 and 9 may be indicated generally by C. end pieces 14 and I5 connected together by a 55 The pieces A, B and C, when assembled, take the surface portion 16 which cooperates with the cen- 5g tral bar I! to form an approximately square aperture It. Through the bar l1 and the end pieces I4 and II is a groove ll formed by walls I. and Ii. The piece it may now he slid into the assembly illustrated in Fig. 17. The walls '0 and II of the groove II engaging the outer sides of the central bars I! and H so as to hold the pieces assembled. The hole ll thus registers with the hole formed by the sockets 88 and 12 and forms an extension of the square hole formed by them. In this position the projecting side I! of the central bar 11 extends under the end member OI of C engaging its wall 8! thus holding the parts in assembled position as indicated in Hg. 18. The assembly of the first five pieces illustrated in Fig. 18 is shown as it appears on the other side inFig.19. Itwillbeseenonthissidethatthe hole II is extended toward the margin by a continuation of the line 04 of the end member I! of B to the surface of the sphere. Likewise the edge 85 of the connecting portion I! of the member E forms a registering recess. Thus the apparatus as assembled in Figs. 18 and 19 has through it a hole one end of which is enlarged toward the surface of the sphere, that is toward the bottom as illustrated in Fig. 19. The sixth member I" illustrated in Figs. 21 and 22 consists of a central bar I. which passes through the hole II and has a somewhat extended end member I! resting in and filling the socket between N and N as illustrated in Fig. 19. The other end of the member 1' may be tapered and pointed to form a prismatic member 88 which as illustrated extends beyond the surface of the sphere and so tends to give to the finished article the appearance of a sphere and pyramid. It will be noted that when the piece F is in place it locks and holds together all of the pieces of the puzzle.

In order that the device may sit upright it may be desirable to level of! a small portion of the end members I! and ii at indicated at II in Fig. 22 thus forming a fiat base on which the assembled puzzle may rest with the end member II projecting upwardly.

As stated above the end members of the various pieces may be varied in shape within wide limits. Each or all of the end members illustrated in Figs. 1 to 22 may be enlarged or made smaller or extended so as to otherwise interlock but without of assembly of the various pieces shown in Figs. 23 to 39 will be understood from the description already given and it will not be necessary here to describe again in detail the assembly of the various pieces, it being suificient to state that the piece shown in Figs. 23, 24 and 25 is marked A to indicate that it corresponds to the piece marked A in Pigs/i. 2 and 3; the piece illustrated in Figs. 26, 2'7 and 28 is marked 8' to indicate that it corresponds to the piece marked B in Figs. 4, 5 and 6; the piece illustrated in Figs. 29, 30 and 31 is marked C to indicate that it corresponds to the piece marked C in Figs. 7, 8

and 9; the piece illustrated in Figs. 32, 33 and 34- is marked D' to indicate that it corresponds to the piece marked D in Figs. 10. 11 and 12; the piece illustrated in Figs. 35, 86 and 37 is marked E to indicate that it corresponds to the piece illustrated in' l'lgs. i4, 15 and 16 and marked 1-; the piece illustrated in Figs. 38 and 89 is marked 1'" to indicate that it corresponds with the piece illustrated in Figs. 20 and 21 and marked 1". The letters A to F are used in Figs. 40 and 41 to indicate the location of the various pieces in the finally assembled puzzle illustrated in Figs. 23 to 89. The puzzle has been illustrated and described for the purpose of explaining its construction and operation and not for the purpose of limiting the invention which may be embodied in other specific forms.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a puzzle comprising six interlocking pieces, a first piece having end members and a central bar having a projection thereon forming,

with the end members, two sockets one of which is twice as wide as the other, a second piece having end members and a central bar having a socket on one side into which fits the projection of the first piece so that the bar of the second piece forms a continuation in part of the projection on the first piece, a third piece having end members and a central bar passing through the narrower socket of the first piece and clamping together the first and second pieces, a fourth piece having connected end pieces and a central bar forming a socket therebetween for surrounding and engaging one end of the second piece and a projection engaging an end of the first piece and a half socket registering with the larger socket of the first piece, a fifth piece having connected end pieces and a central bar forming a socket therebetween which forms a continuation of the socket formed by the first and fourth pieces, the bar fitting under a part of an end member of the third piece and provided with projections holding together the socket sections of the first and fourth pieces, and a sixth piece having an end member resting against end members of the first, second, third and fourth pieces and having a central bar passing through the socket formed by the first, fourth and fifth piecu and locking all the pieces together.

2. In a puzzle comprising six interlocking pieces, a first piece having end members and a central bar-having a projection thereon forming, with the end members, two sockets one of which is twice as wide as the other, a second piece having end members and a central bar having a socket on one side into which fits the projection of the first piece so that the bar of the second piece forms a continuation in part of the pro- Jection on the first piece, a third piece having end members and a central bar passing through the narrower socket of the first piece and clamping together the first and second pieces, a fourth piece having connected end pieces and a central bar forming a socket therebetween for surrounding and eas -s s n; end of the second piece and a projection engagin an end of the first piece and a half socket registering with the larger 'passing through the socket formed by the first,

fourth andfifth pieces and locking all the pieces together.

3. In a puzzle comprising six interlocking pieces, a first piece having end members and a .central bar having two sockets one of which is larger than the other, a second piece having end membersandscentralbarhsvingasocket on one side into which fits a. portion oi the central bar of the first piece, a. third piece having end members and a central bar passing through the narrower socket o! the first piece and clamping together the first and second pieces, a fourth piece having connected end pieces and a. central bar forming a socket therebetween .ior surrounding and engaging one end of the second piece and a half socket registering with the 10 larger socket of the first piece, a filth piece having connected end pieces and a central bar forming a socket therebetween which forms a continuation of the socketformed by the first and fourth pieces and provided with projections holding together the socket sections of the first and fourthpieces, and a sixth piece having a. central bar passing through the socket formed by the first, fourth and firth pieces and looking all the pieces together.

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